Alterations of ecological conditions = loss of habitat.
One of the the worst consequences of removing all or nearly all vegetation in a clearcut is the loss of essential food and shelter for wildlife, and the creation of fragmented patches of forest habitat across the landscape. As intact forests are fragmented, edges are created, opening canopy and exposing certain species to more competition, predation and parasitism. Loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation are among the leading factors contributing to the decline of many wildlife species. Clearcuts also remove forest structural elements common in mature, diverse forests that are critical for wildlife, such as large, older trees; dead, standing snags; and rotting logs and woody debris.
Bees and other pollinators depend on forests for food and habitat.
There are 4,000 native bee species in the U.S. that pollinate about 75% of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown here, along with 80% of our flowering plants. Standing dead trees are vital nesting habitat for 30% of native bees (while also providing food and habitat resources for birds and other wildlife). Some bee species’ ground-nesting behaviors help aerate and enrich soils. Clearcutting destroys nesting areas for fragile pollinating bumblebees. Herbicide use in clearcuts and tree plantations destroys or drastically reduces flowering plants that supply food for bees. Learn more…
Decreases in wildlife population densities = a reduction in genetic diversity.
Confined territories, caused by fragmentation, limit the size of wildlife populations. As habitats become fragmented as a result of clearcutting, wildlife will be forced to seek food, water and shelter outside of remnant patches. This can lead to a decline in population and/or population density, adversely affecting both genetic and biological diversity.
Natural forest regeneration after a fire is essential to wildlife.
When forests are not allowed to naturally regenerate after a fire, wildlife species that depend on these forests post-fire are lost from the ecosystem. In addition, the salvage logging after a fire or natural disturbance, removes important structures such as large snags that are homes to wildlife, further reducing biodiversity in the area and damages soil. Naturally recovering forests after fire are the most rare forest types in the Pacific Northwest, even rarer than old-growth forests, and are as biologically rich as old-growth forests.
Clearcutting can lead to species extinction.
Scientific research has demonstrated that changes in landscape cover significantly impacts wildlife and habitat. Maintaining biodiversity is one of the most fundamental management goals. Biodiversity must be protected and restored before any more species are lost forever.